Forgive but don't forget

Almost everyone knows about the Japanese occupation of the mainland during the second world war and the terrible things that happened.

As a result, a lot of people - especially older ones - will not go to Japan, will not buy Japanese products and will not eat Japanese food.

But we don't need to reject everything Japanese to show that we love our country.

As civilised people who want to lead good lives, we should put the past behind us. We need to forgive the Japanese, not hate them.

We should work towards a healthy and long-lasting friendship with Japan.

History hopefully reminds us that love and acceptance are stronger forces than violence.